This invention is generally directed to time division multiple access (TDMA) communications systems and is more specifically directed to a TDMA system having nodes which are capable of the time slot and frequency management thereby accommodating communications with different types of communication devices each having its own different time and frequency characteristics.
A number of communications systems exist in which a node or controller can communicate with a plurality of remote communication devices. In a conventional RF communications network, a base station communicates with various mobile and portable units utilizing a predetermined number of different frequency channels. In TDMA systems a predetermined frequency with a defined bandwidth is utilized to transmit frames of data with predetermined time slots allocated to different users.
Because of the efficiencies available with TDMA systems, a number of such systems exist and a variety of new systems are being developed, such as a digital European cordless telephone (DECT). A TDMA device designed for one system cannot communicate when in a different TDMA system because of different time slot protocols. The radio transmission of TDMA data adds yet another degree of complexity to communication between different systems since different frequencies and bandwidths are utilized.
There exists a need for a common communications node which can manage both time and frequency in order to be compatible with different TDMA communications devices.